2 U.S. sailors indicted on charges of raping Japanese woman on Okinawa

By Junko Ogura, CNN

Updated 2339 GMT (0739 HKT) November 6, 2012

Civic groups in Tokyo protest the alleged rape of a Japanese woman by two U.S. servicemen on October 20.

Story highlights

Two suspects are accused of raping a Japanese woman and injuring her neck

The case has drawn outrage from Japanese officials and Okinawa residents

The issue of violent crimes, especially rapes, by U.S. troops in Japan has divided the nations

Japanese prosecutors have indicted two American sailors on charges that they raped a Japanese woman on the island of Okinawa last month, a case that has deepened tensions between local residents and the U.S. military.

The two suspects, both from a base in Fort Worth, Texas, were indicted by Naha District Court on Tuesday afternoon, according to a statement from the public affairs office of the U.S. Commander, Naval Forces Japan.

They were arrested last month on Okinawa, which lies south of the main Japanese islands, on allegations that they raped a woman in the early hours of October 16, leaving her with an injury to her neck. They were staying at a U.S. Air Force base on Okinawa while in transit.

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According to the Navy statement, Aviation Electrician's Mate Skyler Dozierwalker faces a charge of rape by group resulting in injury, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Christopher Browning faces a charge of rape by group resulting in injury, as well as a charge of robbery. Both men are 23 years old.

The Okinawa prosecutors' office declined to disclose information about the indictment by telephone and didn't provide a statement.

The issue of violent crimes by U.S. troops in Japan has divided the two countries for decades. It came to a peak in 1995 when a U.S. sailor and two U.S. Marines were convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl. Tens of thousands of Okinawans took to the streets at the time demanding that the United States leave the island.

Relations between the U.S. military and the people of Okinawa have also been strained in recent months over the U.S. Marine Corps' deployment of MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to a base on the island. Some Okinawa residents are concerned because the Osprey has had a reputation for crashing.